johnboehner, tothe newly re-elected president, an olive branch. >> mr. president, the republican majority here in the house stands ready to work with you. >> reporter: they better work together. if they don't strike a deal to cut the deficit in just 55 days, by law, we face the so-called fiscal cliff, taxmaggedon, a mix of tax increases and defense spending cuts that would likely plunge the economy back into recession. and give a big tax hike for virtually every family in america starting january 1st. the president has insisted and campaigned on raising tax rates on the wealthy. house republicans campaigned on no tax increases and they won, too. today, from boehner, a hint at a willingness to compromise. >> we want you to succeed. let's challenge ourselves to find the common ground that has eluded us. let's rise above the dysfunction and do the right thing together for our country. >> reporter: the newly elected congress looks almost exactly like the last one. the same partisan divisions, maybe even a little bit deeper, that led to failure last time. but diane, there also may be

, republican housespeakerjohnboehnertolddiane sawyer that was a nonstarter. >> is it on the table to talk about? >> i made clear -- >> the wealthier americans pitch in. >> yesterday that raising tax rates is unacceptable. and frankly, it couldn't even pass the house. >> reporter: still, today, the president said the debate had been settled, with his victory tuesday night. >> this was a central question during the election. it was debated over and over again. and on tuesday night, we found out that the majority of americans agree with my approach. >> reporter: and he threw down the gauntlet, saying everyone agrees on keeping the middle class tax cuts for those who make under $200,000 a year. so, he said, congress should act on that now. >> and i've got the pen ready to sign the bill right away. i'm ready to do it. i'm ready to do it. >> reporter: and diane, president obama heads to asia next week. but before he leaves, he is calling for a meeting here at the white house of the top house and senate democrat and republican leaders to at least begin to try to find a compromise if one is

sawyer askedspeakerboehnerifyou were now the leader of the republican party and his answer was, oh, i wouldn't think so, paul ryan is a policy wonk. >> i take that as a great compliment from john. >> reporter: is that your role now, position wonk? >> i've always been one of the house policy wonks my role is to continue to be a champion of ideas and help our party be the reform party. >> reporter: ryan says he unplugged in the days after the campaign. he didn't even hear the news about david petraeus' resignation or questions about its timing until later. instead, he was hunting and spending time with his family. >> you know, the great thing about this last weekend i got to go to both mire boys' basketball games and two of my daughter's volleyball games. >> reporter: an upside to losing. >> reconnection with my family which we're a close family. people got to see our family. i'm excited about getting back to work here. >> reporter: paul ryan's three kids all are in lemonade school and saw a big up side to losing. they get to stay in their school. they were worried if he won they

exclusive. we sit down with the country's most powerful republican, housespeakerjohnboehner. facinga critical deadline. will he and the president finally make a deal? or will this country fall off a cliff of huge tax increases and a new recession? everyone has said, a disaster is looming. >>> face to face. gabby giffords is there as the man who shot her is sentenced. her husband, mark kelly, tells us what was going through their minds. >>> freezing over. the families in the storm zone, hud. ing in blanketsing a they're hit with another storm. >>> and band of brothers. our bob woodruff, standing up for heroes tonight. the healing power of rock and roll. ♪ >>> good evening once again from washington, d.c., where the election may be over, but the clock is sticking on an issue affecting every american family. and standing at the urgent crossroads, the president and the speaker of the house, republican john boehner. there is a freight train bearing down on this country, called the fiscal cliff. it made the stock market so nervous today, for the second day in a row, it dropped. and busin